Non-pharmacological control of blood pressure.

1. Essential hypertension is a disorder caused by environmental factors operating against a background of genetic susceptibility. 2. Weight control, sodium restriction, increased potassium intake and reduced alcohol consumption can all cause a fall in blood pressure in hypertensive people. 3. A vegetarian diet causes a fall in blood pressure but it is not clear which dietary components are responsible for these effects. 4. The role of calcium, magnesium, dietary fish and fish oils in lowering blood pressure is uncertain. 5. Physical activity lowers blood pressure. 6. Psychological techniques appear to lower blood pressure but their role in management of hypertensive patients is not clear. 7. Most non-pharmacological measures have not been evaluated over a long time period. 8. Recent studies suggest that hypertensives who have been controlled with drugs may then be able to be controlled by non-pharmacological measures.